Chapter 7
Zero's POV:
After watching Astrid swing her sword back and forth, I turn around for just a moment to continue my training until I hear an approaching pair of footsteps. My cyborg senses pick up danger, making me turn to where Astrid stood. No where to be found of her trace. I dart my way to where she was before only to find a black lace. I've seen this fabric before. Ethan has worn this kind of material when she got Astrid. It must have been him! Hoping this is leaving me astray, I race down the trail the footsteps emerged from. My cyborg half takes control, giving me time to fixate my thoughts.
Why Astrid?
Why not me?
What do they want from her?
What will they do to her?
I stop dead to my tracks to one memory.
"Though, it's a myth. That runner was named Dirtsa. She was known as a naive. She would risk anything for her friends, allies, and even enemies. During her time, Lost Magic was common, it was just plain magic. She was determined to master hers but wasn't able to. Her enemies got there before her and killed her. There's something fishy about the myth though."
Something fishy alright. I stare up at the cloudless sky. Right about noon.
I start walking, speeding up as I get closer to my worst nightmare.
Third Person:
"Again!"
The figure of black tightens the chains on the wrists of Astrid's.
"What the hell is this?"
"Again!"
"ARG!" Her head hung lower with heavier suffering.
"Agai-"
"Shut it up, shortie." A mysterious man enters, revealing his face in the light.
"Ethan..."
"Dirtsa, my beloved. Are you alright?"
"You dirty little..." Astrid did not have enough strength to curse at him.
"Just a little longer Dirtsa."
"I... am not... Dirtsa!" Astrid flings herself with all her power to free herself but falls back into place.
"Again?"
Before the figure of black can attempt tightening the hatches again, Ethan's voice booms. "What did I just say? Now get out before I flip the table at you."
"S-sorry master!" the dwarf says, scrambling out the room.
Ethan walks up to Astrid, cupping his hands around her cheeks.
"Let go!"
"Sorry Dirtsa but not yet. You won't be able to handle the pain and pleasure at the same time if I take it farther."
Astrid blushes. "I don't mean that, you perv!" Ignoring Astrid, Ethan brings his face closer but is interrupted by Zero's presence.
"Get away from her." Zero demands in a fierce tone.
"Ha ha, a love rival?" Ethan disobeys and rubs his cheek with Astrid's. His action enrages Zero more. He walks up to Ethan and pulls him away from her roughly with the collar of his shirt.
"You can't separate us lovers."
"You..." Before Zero could strike a punch, Astrid's screech filled the room.
"Astrid!"
"Your suffering comes to an end, mistress."
"What the hell do you think you're doing to Astrid?" Gripping Ethan's collar, Zero pulls him up to his eyesight.
"I'm just ending her suffering."
"What suffering?"
"You wouldn't know. Obviously, you were not under her discipline but I."
"What the fuck are you ranting about?"
"My Dirtsa. My mistress. My goddess."
Zero drops Ethan with a smack. That myth... it can't be true! He turns to Astrid and approaches her, hoping to stop the transformation. A second too late, his hand is left hanging in front of her.
She sighs. "Get your filthy hand away from me."
"A-Astrid?"
"Don't disgrace me!" She gets off the floor, dusting off her clothes. "What am I wearing?! Ethan!"
Ethan rushes up to her in euphoria. "Dirtsa, my mistress! I shall gather everyone to-"
"Get me proper clothing."
"Yes, my."
Watching Ethan pass by him, Zero places his hands on Dirtsa's shoulders.
"Astrid, please!" Zero hangs his head on her chest. "I'm sorry, just please stop with the act."
Pushing him off, Dirtsa says, "You filthy bastard! I told you to get your hands AWAY from me!"
As she walks away from him, Zero crumbles down to the ground, digging his nails into his palms. Tears stream his face, ridding the man he was.
Astrid... come back...
Astrid's POV:
What is this?
Within my eyesight, a beautiful scenery of darkness surrounds me. There is a grass field before me filled with a variety of flowers. They lack the bright colors due to the overpowering twilight yet they are still visible. As I walk a paved path to nowhere, I find a woman leaning against a tree. She looks exactly like me, but there's a different aura surrounding her. I sit down in front of her and stare. When my ear pops, I hear voices coming out of nowhere.
"Mistress! It's so great to have you back!"
"Oh shut up. I've always been here. Now carry on with the procedure."
"Yes mam! Would you like to rest while I'm doing that?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? Now get out of my sight."
Refocusing on the woman, her eyes slowly open. She rubs her eyes and starts tying her hair into a perfect high bun. I would look disfigured with a bun like that. That's why I like to keep my hair down. Never mind that.
"So I'm still trapped here, huh? Even worse, with you," she says giving a disgusted look my way. I turn around, thinking the look is for someone else but she corrects me.
"Idiot. I mean you."
"Oh. Sorry. What's your name?"
"You don't need it Astrid.
"How do you know me?"
"Because you're me." I stare at her, wide eyed.
"What do you mean?"
"You were in control of me before but now I've gotten back my body. You aren't going get it back in a while. Wait, you'll NEVER get it back! Meaning you are ceased to exist." she laughs without mercy.
"Huh?"
"How does it feel to be in my position?" The woman gets up and snickers more. "Let me rephrase that." She looks at me. "How does it feel not to exist? Lonely, huh? Well you were never suppose to be living in the first place! Now you're trapped here forever. Even after I die."
"What?"
"Don't make me repeat myself, lowly. You're in my place now. You've had 14 years to yourself and now I get the rest to myself. Fair enough, don't you think? Well I don't care what you think. After I get rid of you, it won't matter." she rants endlessly. "I got a better idea. How about I leave you to suffer. All. On. Your. Own." She smiles devilish, showing no sign of defection.
I must be dreaming.
In fact, it doesn't even seem real.
But, what if it is? And I'm the only insane one here?
Or is it the other way around?
"What happened to Zero?"
Abstaining from laughter, she looked at Astrid. "That poor excuse of a man? When I left, he was crying like a spoiled child that didn't get what he desired."
"What? You're lying. Not only about Zero, but also the rest, about me."
"Lying? What's the point. The truth has been hidden from you all this time. I didn't even have to tell you all this. Look how nice I am! You should be thankful I'm not leaving you clueless on your condition. Anyone else and you'd be solitary."
It really seemed like she was telling the truth. I just can't believe her when everything is coming straight towards me.
"Well, that's my cue to leave. Next time, I won't be as gentle with you." The woman turns back to the tree and evaporates into the darkness.
I grunt. "You call that gentle?"
Zero's POV:
I walk to the direction of our shelter. When I enter the deficient hut, I search through Astrid's bookbag, hoping to find at least one useful book. I come across the book she had shown me back at the demolished building. I open it to that exact page. Some bull about that Dirtsa so far. I finally come across something that catches my eye.
As she died an unsightly death, it was said she has shown her true colors during her last moments. Darkness. Everything about her positive was covered with the image of corruption. Her former name was changed into Dirtsa. Her birth name was not recorded.
Holding the book to its page, I get outside and find a stick. I use the stick on the dirt ground to write out her name, Astrid. I write Dirtsa's name under.
Astrid
Dirtsa
After making sense of it all, I walk back dumbfounded. No way. Their names are spelled opposite from each other! There must be some kind of story behind this. I grip her book in one hand and her bag on my shoulder. I set out to dig up more sources on this myth. Clear skies above start to fill dark clouds, pouring rain ever so lightly on the ground but harshly onto the letters of the two names.
